04.30.2013 | BOSTON -- State Rep. Dan Winslow, center, a Republican candidate in the U.S. Senate special election, checks in behind the scenes at his election night headquarters at 167 Milk St.
(Photo by Stephanie Barry / The Republican)

BOSTON — Even when polls indicated Gabriel Gomez was likely running away with the Republican primary in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate special election, volunteers for State Rep. Dan Winslow were upbeat at his campaign headquarters in Boston's financial district.

Handmade signs reading "Win With Winslow," "Dan the Man" and "Springfield Dan!" papered one of two storefront rooms. Party loyalists and young Winslow supporters filled the room waiting for results, many checking their Twitter accounts and other social media for news. The din simmered down as the margin widened and Winslow, who grew up in Amherst and represents Norfolk, emerged as a distant last.

Gomez was declared the winner over Winslow and former ATF Director Michael Sullivan by the Associated Press at about 9 p.m., and Winslow came out at just after 9:30 p.m. to deliver his concession speech, with strong words of support for Gomez.

"I went into this race thinking I could mop the floor with Gabriel Gomez in any debate," Winslow said, adding that Gomez has spent his life proving people wrong and predicting he would beat U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, the winner of the Democratic primary over U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, in the general election.

Winslow called Markey the "weakest candidate the Democratic machine has ever nominated." He said that Gomez has not spent "a lifetime in Congress ... in which he was bought and paid for" by lobbyists.

As for Sullivan, Winslow referred to him as "a brother," like Winslow's own three brothers, with whom he could fight and maintain a bond.

Closing his concession speech, Winslow harkened back to his initial vow to "go big or go home."

"Things didn't work out for me so it's time to go home," he said.

Former State Rep. Rich Bastien, R-Worcester, said whoever prevailed would likely take 55,000 to 60,000 votes and the party would undoubtedly rally behind the winner.

Supporter and campaign volunteer Keith Lepor, a photojournalist who worked in Afghanistan with the International Security Assistance Force as a civilian, said he believes Winslow is "far intellectually superior" to any of the candidates in either party.

"He was a winnable candidate," said Lepor, who himself ran for Congress in 2010.